Mackenthun's Airs First of Five Online Videos

Mackenthun's, a one-store operator, is expected to upload to its website its first video feature created with Food4UTV, a new Minneapolis-based video producer and food-information purveyor.

Dec 10, 2009

WACONIA, Minn. — Mackenthun's, a one-store operator here, is expected to upload to its website today its first video feature created with Food4UTV, a new Minneapolis-based video producer and food-information purveyor.

The video, on "feeling sick foods" that could be eaten during an illness, such as bananas, rice, apple sauce, tea and toast (the BRAT diet), is the first of five video segments, about five minutes in length, that the store plans to put on its website, www.mackenthuns.com[2] . The next video segment, to be uploaded on Dec. 17, will be an historical look at Mackenthun's, a five-generation family business.

Subsequent videos, to be uploaded in January, will be on gluten-free products available at the store, the Mackenthun's deli, and cake design. The videos will also be placed on Food4UTV's site, www.food4utv.com[3] , as well as on such sites as Youtube. Food4UTV will promote the videos through its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Store owner Kim Mackenthun sees the Food4UTV videos as another way to reach elusive younger shoppers.

"What intrigued us about it is that print ads are not read as much as they used to be," he said. "You have to find different ways like social media to reach Generations X and Y. You try to reach younger customers in media they understand and respond to."